Fernando Torres’s confidence was broken when he first joined Chelsea because
he was relegated regularly to the substitutes’ bench, according to team-mate
Yossi Benayoun.

The Spanish striker had to play second fiddle to Didier Drogba until the Ivory Coast striker left Stamford Bridge last summer to play in China, and has shown only occasional glimpses of the form that persuaded Chelsea to pay Liverpool £50 million for his services.

Torres has now scored one goal in 13 matches after Thursday night’s Europa League last-32 first leg 1-0 win at Sparta Prague, during which the World Cup winner missed several opportunities.

But Benayoun still believes he can come good.

“You can understand it is not easy, from being the top striker at Liverpool – he was unbelievable, you gave him the ball and you knew he would score,” said Benayoun, who also played alongside Torres at Anfield. “But he had a bad time in the beginning at Chelsea. When he came in, he was on the bench, then on the pitch.

“He did not get the confidence when he came in. And with the £50 million above his head, it is not easy for any player.

“This season is the first time that he has been given the chance to be No 1, because Drogba was here, so there was competition. This is the first year the club has given him 100 per cent confidence he needs to be No 1.

“I believe in him 100 per cent. For me, he is still one of the best strikers in the world. You do not change so quick from being the best player, one of the best in the world, to a player that some people say is not good enough for Chelsea.

Meanwhile, Brentford’s players have heaped further pressure on Rafael Benítez ahead of tomorrow’s FA Cup fourth-round replay at Stamford Bridge, warning the Spaniard that he faces “disaster” if he suffers an upset. Having twice taken the lead against Chelsea before drawing 2-2 at Griffin Park, conventional wisdom would be that Brentford have already blown their best opportunity of progressing to the fifth round.

Chelsea, though, have struggled at home under Benítez and Brentford’s players believe that all the negativity that surrounds the Spaniard’s appointment could give them an even better chance tomorrow.

“Any club that has fans against the manager is not a good recipe for success,” Clayton Donaldson, the Brentford midfielder, said.

“I think the crowd are still irritated. If we can go there and win who knows what can happen. It would be terrific for us but a disaster for Chelsea. I think it is a better chance. With all the hostility at their place, the onus is going to be on them to bring the game to us.

“We have got nothing to lose. We feel as though we can disrupt their play. The more we get into the game, the more hostile the crowd are going to get towards them.

“Chelsea haven’t had the best form at home, probably because of the fact the fans are irritated with how the club’s being run.”